# Nic Carter

> Nic Carter is a General Partner at Castle Island Ventures, a crypto-focused VC firm investing in blockchain infrastructure and the restoration of property rights on the internet. A former Fidelity analyst turned prolific writer, co-founder of Coin Metrics, and host of the 'On The Brink' podcast, Carter is one of the most influential voices in Bitcoin - known for his rigorous defense of Bitcoin's energy consumption, his early advocacy for proof of reserves, and breaking the 'Operation Choke Point 2.0' story that triggered multiple Congressional investigations. Outside of finance, he's an amateur MMA fighter who competed in Karate Combat under the nickname 'Tungsten Daddy.'

- **Role:** General Partner at Castle Island Ventures
- **Organizations:** Castle Island Ventures, Coin Metrics, CoinDesk, Mash, Surus, Project11
- **Nationality:** American (naturalized)
- **Education:** MA Philosophy, University of St Andrews, MSc Finance and Investment, University of Edinburgh
- **Known for:** Co-founded Coin Metrics, a leading crypto data analytics company (later acquired by Talos Trading), Named to CoinDesk's Most Influential 2022, Broke 'Operation Choke Point 2.0' story, leading to multiple Congressional investigations and a major 2025 FDIC hearing

## Career timeline

- **2018** — Co-founded Coin Metrics alongside Matt Walsh
- **2018** — Joined Fidelity as their first cryptoassets analyst
- **2018** — Co-founded Castle Island Ventures with Matt Walsh
- **2019** — Launched 'On The Brink with Castle Island' podcast
- **2021** — Appeared on Lex Fridman Podcast (Ep. 173) discussing Bitcoin core values
- **2022** — Named to CoinDesk's Most Influential list for standing up to Bitcoin toxicity and advocating proof of reserves
- **2023** — Broke 'Operation Choke Point 2.0' story on Pirate Wires, triggering Congressional investigations
- **2024** — Fought in Karate Combat at Consensus (vs. David Hoffman), winning 1-0 as amateur MMA fighter
- **2024** — Castle Island Ventures portfolio company Bitwise listed on NYSE American
- **2025** — FDIC hearing in Congress corroborated Operation Choke Point 2.0 reporting

## Achievements

- Co-founded Coin Metrics, a leading crypto data analytics company (later acquired by Talos Trading)
- Named to CoinDesk's Most Influential 2022
- Broke 'Operation Choke Point 2.0' story, leading to multiple Congressional investigations and a major 2025 FDIC hearing
- Pioneer of proof-of-reserves concept for crypto exchanges
- Nearly 350,000 Twitter followers making him one of crypto's most-followed commentators
- Published in Harvard Business Review, New York Magazine, Fortune, Newsweek, and Bitcoin Magazine
- Naturalized American citizen
- Competed in Karate Combat as amateur MMA fighter with a 1-0 record under nickname 'Tungsten Daddy'
- Angel investor and LP in 40+ companies across tech and crypto
- Board member at Mash, Surus, and Project11

## Latest updates

- **2025-02** — FDIC hearing in Congress corroborated Carter's Operation Choke Point 2.0 reporting, with witnesses detailing government pressure on banks
- **2024-11** — Most recent investment: Phylax Systems (Seed Round)
- **2024-05** — Competed in Karate Combat against David Hoffman at Consensus festival in Texas
- **2024-01** — Castle Island portfolio company Bitwise listed on NYSE American

## Links

- Website: https://niccarter.info
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/nic__carter

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/nic-carter
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-22